Windshield wiper



Sept, 18, 1928.

S. G. VAN DERBECK WINDSHIELD WIPER Filed Feb. 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l w INVENTOR fi K ATTURNE Sept. 18, 1928. v1,685,037

' s. G. VAN DERBECK WINDSHIELD WIPER Filed Feb. 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. I I 45 mum 4% In" INVENTOR.

A TTORNE its driving connection to the water Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

- UNITED STATES PATENT \orirlca.

srnrnnn G. van nnnnncx. or nacxnnsnox, NEW JERSEY.

WINDSEIELD WIPEB.

- Application filed- February a, 1926. Serial No. 86,854. i

This invention relates to wind-shield. Wipers and-has for its main object the produc-' tion of a wind-shield wiper, automatic'in' operation and under-the-control of the driver. 1 It is well known that in rainy or stormy weather, the transparent wind-shields of automobiles, trolley cars, locomotives and the like are apt to become covered with moisture, sleet or snow, thereby preventing the driver from obtaining a clearview of the reciprocatory motion of the cleaning tool, thereby causing it to travel across the face;

of the glass, whereby the accumulated matter is readily removed. The motion of the 5 wiper is one of pure translation, whereby there is equal travel for all parts of the wiper across the glass, resulting in equal cleaning for the length of. the wiper. This is an ad vantage over rotary cleaners, in that with 39 said cleaners, the part of the tool nearest 1ts axis of rotation, usually just the part required 1 to be left clean thennost, 1 s given a much smaller travel than the\port1on of the tool .nearest its outer end. A further advantageof'my construction lies in the, fact that the region of travel of the wiper canbe adjusted" p 171011 of flexible shaft 23 to shaft 22v is not to suit the driver. Still another advantage is its ready adaptability to be installed 1n a vehicle. A simple friotlon means is prov ded whereby it can be driven from .a rotating part of the vehicle, such as the water pump shaft. The wiper itself is caused to press against the glass of the shield by a novel construction. Auseparate spring is used under the heel of the Wiper lever for causing pres sure against the glass, rather than depending u on the flexibility of this lever to bring a out the ressure. This lends itself to ready adjustabihty of the pressure.

Other obJects and advantages will become apparent upon a further reading of the descrlption and the drawings in which I Fig. 1 is a'view of a motor vehicle, with the hood open, showing the wiper in place with Fig. 2 is a front view of the windshiel with understood the wiper and its operating mechanism mounted thereon, Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4is an-elevation of the frictiondrive, Fig. 5 is a plan view of said drive, Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the clutch-box with the moved, Fig. 7 is a bottom view of said box, F.1g. 8 is an enlarged front view of thewiper mounting and Fig. '9 is a side view-of same.

Attached to the usual'metallicbead ,10 at the top of the .glass windshield 11 .(Figs'; 3'and9) 1s a gu1de-r-ail-12. Channel carriage '13 is slidably mounted on rail 12. Projecting from carriage'13 are bearings .14, be-

protecting casin retween 'which is pivotallyniorinted wiper lever 15. Wiper 16 is pivotally mounted upon the lower end of wiper lever .15. A spring 15 and theface of carriage 13, said spring normally pressing theheel of said lever outwardly, causing wiper 16 to press against glass 11.

18 is located between the heel of wiper lever A The ends of cable 17 ,are attached. tothe sides of carriage 13 nearitslower edge. At

one's'ide of the wind-shield, cable 17 passes over idler pulley 19. At the other side, cable 17 passes around driving pulley 21 (Figs. 6

and located in clutc ox 20. "It is the runnln of cable 17 back and forth that gives wiper 6 its motion of translation. Cable 17 with its ends connected to carriage13 is ineifect an endless belt.

The mechanism for actuating le 21 is as 'follows :Attached to shaft 22,

{W ich is'rotatably mounted in clutch-box 20,

is the flexible shaft 23. The actual connecdrivi ng' p111 shown in Figs. 6 and 7, but canbe readily from Fig. 2. Whenever 'it is desired to have the wiper 1n operation, flexible shaft 23, as will be explainedQ'is caused to.

Irunshaft 22./Feathered toshaft 22 ;is a clutch sleeve 24. A collar 57 is:

located" on sleeve 24. From the ends of said sleeve, clutch pins 25 and 26 project. Bevel,

gears 27 and 28 are loosely mounted on shaft 22. Bevel gear 27 is'provided with a clutch pin 29 in the path of pin 25, while bevel gear 28 is provided with a clutch pin 30 in the path of pin 26. epending upon the osition of sleeve'24, shaft 22 is caused to rive bevel .gear 27 or bevel gear '28. Bevel gear 31 meshes with both bevel gears 27 and 28. The rotation of bevel gear 31 is adapted to be caused in one direction when bevel gear 27 is'engaged by sleeve 24 and in the opposite centrally shoves i'tto the left.

when the lower run of cable 17 moves to the i direction. when gear 28 is engaged. Fixed-to the back of bevel gear 31 is driving pulley 21. Sleeve 24 is shifted from one position to another along shaft 22, by the engagementofpulley 21. In a similar manner link 35 is astened to the other end of rock lever 32. Cable 17 passes through sleeve '37 on the end of link 35. Cable 17 carries mounted upon it adjustably loca-table stops 38 and 39. As the upper run of said cable moves to the left 1g. 2) stop 38 comes against sleeve 36 and In a similar manner left sufiiciently, stop 39 shoves sleeve 37 to the left. Pawl 40 is pivotally mounted in clutch-box 2O opposite the notched stem of rock lever 32. Pawl 40 has a V shaped dog 41 near its centeradapted to engage either of the notches in the stem of rock lever 32. Pawl 40 is normally held towards said stem by spring 42.

With rock lever 32 i the position shown .in Fig. .6 when stop 39 comes against sleeve 37,

link 35 is pushed to the left.- This push is' so as to hold sleeve 24 in its lower position.

Cable 17 thencont-inues to run until stop 38 comes againstisleeve 36, snapping sleeve 24 upward, in which position it is locked by dog 41.. This causes sleeve 24, by the engagementofclutch pins 25 and 29, to drive bevel, gear 27, resulting in reversal of motion of cable. 17 causing its lower run now' to move tothe left. This back and forth motion continues as long as the operator permits flexible shaft 23 to be rotated. With cable 17 wiper 16 is moved back and forth over glass 11. By varying the location of stops 38 and 39 on cable 17, wiper 16 can be given different lengths of travel and the re- 1on or zone of travel can'be shifted to diferent portions of the windshield.

- Flexible shaft 23 is driven from the shaft 43 of the water pump as follows :The drive mechanism is readily attached to an automobile A s lit pulle 44, rovided with an elongated hit 45, is olte to shaft 43. Hub 45 has a groove turned in it at an intermediate portion, in which the curved portions of bars 46 are set. Bars 46 are bolted in the groove of hub 45 so that they are other to link 48, normally pulls wheel 51 against pulley 44, thereby driving the former. Link 48 has'an eccentric 50 rotatabl'y-mounted' upon it and engaging slot 54 in bracket 47. When eccentric 50 is so rotated as to have its eccentric por tion to the left .(Fig. 4), link 48 is pulled awayfrom shaft 43 and wheel 51 separated from pulley 43 against the tension of, spring 52. Eccentric 50 is rotated from the drivers seatb means of rod 55 (Figs. '1 and 5). Link 56 1s pin connected to rod 55 and in a slot in the rear of eccentric 50. Pushing or pulling on rod 55 rotates eecentric50 and controls the engagement of wheel 51 with pulley 44.

I claim 1. Operating means for a windshield wiper comprising a' carriage adapted to traverse the windshield in opposite directions, an endless flexible, actuating member for moving said carriage adapted to run substantially transversely and parallel to'the surface of the windshield and having a run fixed to said carriage, power actuated means for driving said member adapted to have its directionof drive reversed, mechanism con nected to said power means adapted to be set in different positions for causing said power means to reverse its direction of drive and 1 means fastened separately to each run of said member adapted successively to engage said mechanism for-setting it in said different positions.

. 2.- Operating means for a windshield wiper comprising a carriage adapted to traverse the windshield in opposite directions, an endless flexible actuatingmember for moving said carriage adapted to run substantially transversely and parallel to the surface of the windshield and havin a run fixed to said carriage, power actuated clutch mechanism fordriving said member in reversible directions, means connected to said clutch mechanism for effecting setting of said clutch mechanism for driving said member in reversible directions, a stop fastened to one run of said-member, another stop fastened to the other run of said member, each of said stops adapted to be brought by said member successively into engagement with said clutch setting means for effecting successively the reversal of the direction of drive of said clutch mechanism as they are brought into said engagement.

' 3. Reversing mechanism for a windshield wiper comprising an endless flexible momber adapted to run substantiallytransversely and parallel to a windshield, power driven clutch mechanism for driving sa1d member inreversible directions, means connected to said clutch mechanism for eifectingthe settings of said c'lutchmechanism for driving sald member in reversible directions, a stop 'ad-' 'ustably locatable on one run of said mem-v r, another sto adjustably locatable on the other run of sai member, each; of said stops adapted to be brought successively into en,

gagement by said memberwith said clutch setting means for effecting successively the reversal of the-direction of drive of said clutch mechanism as they arebroughtinto said engagement, the location of sald stops on said runs determining the interval between reversals of said member, whereb the traverse of said. member may. be varie driven clutch Fechanism operatively connected to said pulley for driving said pulley in reversible directions, means connected to said clutch mechanism for varying the connection offsaid clutch mechanism to said pulley for eflectin'g said reversal of direction,- and means, carried by said member into contact with said means for varying'the connection of the clutch mechanism to the pulley,'-actuating said latter means to vary the cbnnection between said clutch -mechanism and the p y- Y 5; Operating means for a windshield'wipe'rcomprising a carriage adapted to traverse the windshield in opposite directions, an endless flexible actuating member for moving said carriage adapted to run substantially transversely and parallel tothe surface of the windshield and-having a run fixed to said 'car- 5 riage, power driven clutch mechanism for driving said member, a pivotally. mounted rock-lever adapted when tilted in one direction to throw a portion of the clutch mechanism into position for driving said member in one direction and when tilted in the a posite direction to cause said member to d'riven in the op('p0site.direction,' and stop mechanism carrle along by the runs of said member adapted to tilt said lever into one versel position or the other as-said carriage the ri ht or left end ofits traverse 6. perating means fora windshield wiper com risin a carriageadapted to traverse the win shiel in opposite directions an endless flexible actuating member adapted to run 'substantially transversely and parallel to the surface'of the windshield and fastened to said 1 carriage for effecting its traverse, power driven clutch mechanism for driving said' member, a adapted when tilted in one direction to throw pivotally. mounted rock-lever portion of theclutch mechanism into 'pos'i-' t 1on for driving said member in one direction and when tilted in the opposite direction to.

cause said member to be driven in the opposite direction, a link pivotally fastened at. one end to each end of said lever, the other or free ends of said links coming substantiallyvadjacentto the upper and lower runs respectively of said member, a stop fastened to each run adapted to push the free end of its respective link for tilting said lever into one position or the other as said carriage reaches the right orleft end of its traverse.

7. Operating means for a windshield wiper as claimedin claim- 5 having a spring .actuated pawl adapted to engage said rock lever and retain it nnderspring pressure in each of its tilted positions.

8. Operating means for a windshield wiper comprlsln a carriage adapted to traverse the windshiel inopposite directions, an endless flexible actuating member for moving said carriage adapted to run substantially transand parallel to the surface of the winds ield and having one run fastened to said carriage, ashaft adapted to be power driven, a clutch sleeve feathered to said shaft h and slidable axially thereon, means for driving .said member. adapted when said clutch sleeve is moved into one position on said shaft to'drive-said member in one direction, and when the clutch sleeve ismovedinto the o posite position on said shaft to drive said member in-the opposite direction, a pivotally mounted rock lever havi'n' a stem adapted to engage said sleeve for shlfting it, and sto mechanlsm carried by said member adapted to rock said lever into one-position or the other for shifting said clutch sleeve into its J driving, positions on said shaft as said carri'age reaches the right and left ends of its traverse. v Si ed at New York, in the county of New :York and State of New York this 2nd day of February, A. D. 1926.

STEPHEN G. VAN DERBECK, 

